Oscillating feeder mechanism for box blanks



Jan. 14, 1958 o. E. COTE 2,819,898

OSCILLATING FEEDER MECHANISM FOR BOX BLANKS Filed Aug. 13, 1954 4Sheets-Sheet 1 lawenioa Jan. 14, 1958 o, COTE 2,819,898

OSCILLATING FEEDER MECHANISM FOR BOX BLANKS Filed Aug. 15, 1954 4SheetsSheet 2 Omefl E 6039, 1 2 .62 a by MW; M, 721 22: f w

uiifiioflney Jan. 14, 1958 o. E. COTE 2,819,893

OSCILLATING FEEDER MECHANISM FOR BOX BLANKS Filed Aug. 13, 1954 I 4Sheets-Sheet 3 74 13 76 E o fig 7 a 83 s 36 k. v.. 5 2: x x 6 /8 I v1 I4 /0o J 0 e4 V i e 86 68 96 44 Isa A lweni'ozt Omer E 0021-2,

by @44 JM'ZM @2251 flffomey 1958 o. E. coTE 1 OSCILLATING FEEDERMECHANISM FOR BOX BLANKS Filed Aug. 13, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I08 leaIweaiofl: Omefl E. Gaffe, b 774%,); 721% M1 ufliior aaey OSCILLATDJGFEEDER MECHANISM FOR BOX BLANKS Omer E. Cote, Providence, R. 1.,assignor to United $tates Automatic Box Machinery Co., Inc., Boston,Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 13, 1954, SerialNo. 449,815

8 Claims. (Cl. 271-41) This invention relates to box making machineryand is particularly concerned with mechanism for causing individual boxblanks to be fed one at a time into a box making machine.

In the manufacture of boxes of the type formed from a single blank, thepre-cut blanks arranged in a pile are customarily placed in the machinein such relation to the feeding mechanism that the blank on the bottomof the pile will be gripped and slid out from under the pile by feedingmechanism to be delivered to the box forming machinery.

Since the box forming machinery operates at a predetermined rate, onerequirement of the feeding mechanism is to deliver the blanks from thestoragepile at the same rate as completed boxes are conveyed away fromthe box forming section. If the feeding mechanism operates at a fasterrate, the blanks will accumulate at the forming section, jamming themachine and necessitating suspension of operations until the machine hasbeen cleared. On the other hand, operation at a slower rate isineificient and prevents attainment of maximum production. Accordingly,feeding mechanism must operate in synchronism with the other parts ofthe machine in order to assure a rapid and even flow of blankstherethrough.

One particular type of feeding mechanism designed to provide a constantflow of blanks is disclosed and described in my co-pending applicationSer. No. 409,822, filed February 12, 1954, for Blank Feeder for a BoxMaking Machine. The feeder disclosed in the aforesaid applicationcomprises a plurality of feed rolls cooperating to remove the bottommostblank from a pile of blanks and to deliver the blank to a conveyor whichcarries the blank to and through successive sections of the machine. Therate at which the blanks are picked up is determined by a large feedroll provided with a rubber segment over a limited portion of itscircumference. The feed roll is positioned so that, upon rotation, therubber segment will periodically engage the bottommost box blank, removeit from the pile, and direct it to the subsequent feeder mechanism.Since the rubber segment is brought into proximity with the pile onlyonce for each revolution, no blanks are removed from the pile in theinterval that the rubber segment is not in proximity with the pile. Thespeed at which the feed roll rotates necessarily governs the rate atwhich the rubber segment engages and removes blanks from the pile.

While such an arrangement operates to remove anddeliver blanks one at atime at a rapid and constant rate, it has been found that the rubbersegment, being repeatedly caused to engage box blanks, is subject towear to an undesirable degree. If the rubber segment is permitted towear to excess, so that its thickness is insuflicient for it to makecontact with the bottommost blank, the feeding mechanism will fail tooperate. When this occurs the only solution is to replace the rubbersegment or to substitute an entirely new feed roll. This, of

2,819,893 ented. an 14 19 2 course, is objectionable because the machinemust be stopped with a consequent loss of production.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a feedingmechanism for box blanks having a pick-up roll of greater life than afeed roll having a rubber segment as illustrated in the aforementionedcopending application.

Another object of this invention is to provide feeding mechanismincluding a feed roll whose entire surface is utilized at one time oranother for engaging and conveying box blanks, thereby increasing theuseful life of the roll.

Still another object of this invention is to providea feeding mechanismincorporating a feed roll, and means for periodically moving the feedroll into and out of engagement with the bottommost blank of a pile ofblanks at a predetermined rate, and means for driving said feed roll ata speed varying slightly from a multiple of the rate at which the feedroll is oscillated toward and away from the magazine.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of the feeding section of a box forming machineembodying the present invention;

2 is a side view in elevation of the machine with a portion of the framebroken away to show the relative disposition of parts;

Fig. 2-a is a side view in elevation of a specific type of clutchmechanism usable in the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view in elevation taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view in elevation taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3;and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of Fig. 4.

The blank feeding section illustrated in the drawings Fig.

conforms substantially, except for certain novel features incorporatedtherein according to the present invention, to the box feeding stagedescribed and illustrated in the aforementioned copending applicationSer. No. 409,822. Those features shown and described in theaforementioned copending application are described hereinafter only tothe degree necessary to facilitate comprehension of the structure andoperation of the present invention.

Referring specifically to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the feeding section issupported by vertical frame members 2 and 4 joined by suitablehorizontal frame members, such as 6. These frame members preferablycomprise parts of the frame of the machine with which the feedingmechanism is associated, e. g., a box forming machine of the typeillustrated in the aforementioned copending application Ser. No.409,822. In Fig. 2 vertical frame member 2 is broken away at S to betterillustrate certain features of the feeder mechanism.

The forward end of the feeder section is characterized by a hopper ormagazine formed of four angle iron posts 12, 14, 16, and 18, secured tothe frame of the machine. The two lower posts 16 and 18 are movabletoward and away from each other by a conventional rack 20 and pinion 22operated by crank spindle 24. By this arrangement the hopper is adaptedto receive box blanks of various sizes.

Sides 26 and 28 of upper posts 12 and 14 terminate at 30 as illustratedin Fig. 3. Riding on suitable sprockets mounted on lower posts 16 and 18are feed chains 32 provided with lugs or fingers 34 adapted to engagethe lower edges of the box blanks 36 of upper stack 40. The upper edgesof the blanks in pile 40 rest against sides 26 and 28 of upper posts 1 2and 14. A motor 42 drives feed chains 32 in the direction shown by thearrows in Fig. 3.

At the bottom of the magazine are a plurality of guide bars 44 rec eivedby supports 46 mounted by fixed shafts 48 and 50 extending through framemembers 2 and 4. Guide bars 44 support the blanks in pile 38.

Mounted on the outside of upper corner post 12 is a switch 52 actuatedby a lever 54 pivoted to swing toward and away from switch 52. Lever 54is normally urged by suitable spring means (not shown) away from switch52 and when in that position, switch 52 is closed. A rectangular slot 56is provided in post 12 to permit the lower portion of lever 54 to extendinwardly into the line of path of box blanks comprising pile 38. Switch52 electricallyconnected to motor 42.

When lever 54 is urged by the blanks in pile 38 toward switch 52, thelatter opens and motor 42 is stopped. When lever 54 is free to move awayfrom switch 52, due to the absence of box blanks in pile 38, switch 52closes, motor 42 starts, and feed chains 32 are caused to move in thedirection illustrated in Fig. 3 to feed additional box blanks from pile40 to pile 38. As the conveyor moves the bottommost blank in pile 40past the end 30 of sides 26 and 28 of upper posts 12 and 14, thelowermost blank falls into pile 38. When sufficient blanks haveaccumulated in pile 38, lever 54 is again forced by the blanks towardswitch 52 to open the latter and stop motor 42.

The foregoing structure is all described in detail in the aforementionedcopending application Ser. No. 409,822.

The bottomfnost blank is delivered out of pile 38 resting on guide bars44 by feeding mechanism constructed according to the present invention.The feeder mechanism includes a hollow shaft 58 carrying a sprocket 60driven by a chain 62 from a motor (not shown). Shaft 58 carries a secondsprocket 64 which operates through a drive chain 66 and a gear 68 todrive a shaft 72 carrying a small feed roll 74. Shaft 72 is journaled inside frame members 2 and 4 and operates through suitable gears (notshown) to drive shafts 76 and 80 carrying feed rolls 78 and 82respectively in the direction indicatedby the arrows in Fig. 3.

Hollow shaft 58 comprises an integral extension of a clutch showngenerally at 84 (Fig. 2), which when engaged causes shaft 58 to driveshaft 86. Shaft 58 surrounds shaft 86 and is freely rotatable thereonwhen clutch 84 is disengaged. Clutch 84 is preferably of the type shownand described in the copending application of John Fradenburgh, Ser. No.420,023, filed March 31, 1 954, for Feeder Control for Box MakingMachine; but any other clutch of appropriate design may be substitutedtherefor. Fig. 2-a illustrates in more detail a clutch of the typeshownand described in the aforesaid application Ser. No. 420,023. Asshown in Fig. Z-a, the clutch comprises a drum 85 formed integral withshaft 58, an arm 87 keyed to shaft 86, a spring-biased pawl 89 pivotallymounted on arm 87 and normally residing in a notch 91 on the interiorsurface of drum 85, whereby shaft 86 is locked to the drum and shaft 58and rotates therewith, a lever 93 attached to the pawl 89, and a pivotalclutch-actuating arm 95 having a hooked end adapted to engage lever 93to disengage the pawl from the notch, whereby to disengage the clutch. Aspring 97 urges arm 95 toward drum 85; however, hooked arm 95 normallyis held out of engagement with lever 93 by means of a latch lever 99,only a portion of which is shown in Fig. 2-a. When latch lever 99 isactuated out of engagement with arm 95, the latter is pulled clockwiseby spring 97. When arm 95 is rotated clockwise its hooked end will beengaged by lever 93 as the latter rotates with arm 87, causing the pawl89 to be swung out of the notch 91 to disengage the clutch. So lo g asam 95 "and lever 93 are engaged, the clutch will remain disengaged andshaft 86 will remain stationary. It is to be understood that latch lever99 may be actuated to release position either manually or automaticallyby electrically operated means upon failure of the machine to delivercompleted boxes in accord with normal functioning. However, regardlessof the means utilized to actuate latch lever 99, and regardless of wherein its circle of rotation lever 93 is at the moment latch lever 99 isactuated to release arm 95, the latter will always engage lever 93 atthe same point (approximately 11 oclock position in the illustratedembodiment), at which point cam follower 100 is in that part of the camtrack that causes the feed roll 114 to be in down position. Cam track90, cam follower and feed roll 114 are described hereinafter.

Shaft 86 is journaled in side frame members 2 and 4 and carriesintermediate its ends a cam wheel 88 having a cam track 90. Rotatablyassociated with shaft 48 by means of supporting arms 92 and 94 is anangle iron bar 96. Bar 96 runs parallel to shaft 48 and is providedintermediate its ends with a curved arm 98. A rotatable cam follower 180is caried at the end of arm 98 and rides within cam track 90.

Secured to supporting arms 92 and 94 by means of bolts 182 are twobrackets 104- and 106 provided with upstanding arms 1.08 and 110respectively. Journaled in the ends of arms 188 and 110 is a shaft 112carrying primary feed roll 1114. Feed roll 114 is centered between fixedbox blank supports 111 and has a continuous surface of rubber or someother material suitable for engaging and moving a box blank.

Idler sprockets 113 which cooperate with sprockets 81 on shaft 8%] tosupport and facilitate movement of conveyor chains 83 are not carried byshaft 112. Instead sprockets 113 are mounted on the end of extensions1'15 and 117 and have axial openings therethrongh large enough toprovide for appreciable transverse movement of shaft 112. Conveyorchains 83 are driven by means (not shown) and operate to direct blanksfrom the feeder mechanism to the machine with which the mechanism isassociated.

Afrixed to the right hand end of shaft 112 is an arm 116 provided with arectangular slot 118. Rotatably carried by a stub shaft 120 extendinginwardly from side frame 4 is a gear element 122 which meshes with andis driven by a gear 124 mounted on shaft 72. A small shaft 126 extendsthrough gear 122 at a point removed from its axis and carries arectangular block 128 which is slidably positioned in rectangular slot118. Block 128 and rectangular slot 118 form a loose connection betweengear 122 and arm 116 so that as gear 122 is caused to rotate, arm 116 isdriven by gear 122 no matter what the position of shaft 112 asdetermined by cam 88. Cam 88 acts to oscillate bar 96 and shaft 112forward and away from the magazine for each revolution of shaft 86.

An important feature of this invention is that the gear ratios are soadjusted that the number of revolutions of feed roll 114 per unit oftime deviates slightly from an exact multiple of the number ofrevolutions of cam wheel 88. This is accomplished, for example, byproviding gear 122 with one tooth more or less than the number of teethrequired to drive shaft 112 at a rotational velocity equal to an exactmultiple of the rotational velocity of shaft 86.

As a result, initial engagement with successive bottommost blanks in themagazine is made sequentially atmany different transverse lines ofengagement (hereinafter referred to as points of engagement) on theperiphery of roll 114 instead of at only one line of engagement as wouldbe the case if the speed of feed roll 114 was an exact multiple of thatof cam wheel 88. The points on the surface of roll 114 at which initialengagement is made with the blanks in the magazine on successiveoscillations of shaft 112 will shift in one direction or the other aboutthe periphery 'of theroll according to whether the number of teeth ongear 122 is more or less than the numbe'rof teeth-required ,toqdriveroll. 114 at a rotational speed equal to a multiple of the speed of cam88. By virtue of the aforementioned sequential shifting of thetransverse line of engagement the surface of roll 114 is caused to wearevenly about its entire circumference, thereby greatly lengthening thelife of the feed roll surface.

An arm 130 secured at one end to support bracket l6 and carrying at theother end shaft 86, adds additional support to the latter shaftintermediate its ends to prevent it from being flexed by the thrustexerted thereon in opposition to the force exerted by cam wheel 88 oncam follower 100 and its supporting arm 93 as the cam follower ridesover the high spot on the cam track 96.

A second cam (not shown) is mounted on shaft 86 and acts through a leverand gear mechanism generally indicated at 132 to move a bar 134 carryingdog 136 in a reciprocating manner forward and backward. (in its rearwardstroke, i. e. from right to left, Fig. 3, dog 1% agitates the blanks inlower pile 38 so that the bottommost blank will be moved out ofalinement with the blanks above it in the direction of feed roll 114-,bringing it into position to be picked up by the roll and delivered tofeed rolls 74, 78 and 82 in a steady sequence.

Operation of the feeding mechanism is as follows: Assuming that asufiicient supply of blanks is assembled in pile 38 and that clutch 84is engaged so that shaft 86 is being driven by shaft 53 acting throughthe clutch, feed rolls 74, 78 and 82 turn in the direction indicated inFig. 1 by virtue of chain 66 (Fig. 4) operating between sprockets 64 and68 and mounted on shafts 58 and 72 respectively and the gear mechanism(not shown) operating between shaft 72*. and shafts 76 and 8t).

Shaft 72 operates through gear 124 to drive gear 122. The latter gearoperates through the loose connection provided by rectangular block 128slidably positioned in rectangular slot 118 of arm 116 to drive shaft112 carrying the primary feed roll 114. Simultaneously shaft 85 rotatescam wheel 88 and as the high point of the cam track 550 reaches camfollower 100, the latter is caused by the high spot in the track torotate arm 98 clockwise as seen in Fig. 3. As arm 98 moves clockwise itcauses bar 96 to move in the same direction, and since shaft 112 isfixedly supported on brackets 104 and 106 carried by arms $2 and 94associated with bar 96, the feed roll is caused to move in the sameclockwise direction about the pivot point provided by shaft 48 and isbrought into contacting position with the bottommost blank in pile 38.Due to the choice of gear ratios, initial engagement with successiveblanks in the magazine is made at different points on the surface offeed roll 114.

At about the same time the cam on shaft S6 (not shown) causes the leverand gear mechanism 132 to move dog E36 toward feed roll li -l. Dog 135pushes the bottommost blank toward feed roll 114 and the latter picks upthe blank and directs it toward feed rolls 74, 78 and S2. The blankpasses between feed rolls 78 and 82 on to conveyor 33 which directs theblanks in a steady sequence to subsequent stages of the machine. Whenthe high spot of cam track 94) moves on beyond cam follower 190, thefeed roll 114 moves downwardly, pivoting again about shaft 48. In itslowered position feed roll 114 will be out of engagement with the blanksin the magazine as the blanks cannot fall below the position of the twosupports 111 and l13 that are fixedly located on opposite sides of thefeed roll. '1 ese supports are so adjusted that when the feed roll is inblank-engaging position, the surface of the red roll will be above theupper faces of the supports. Conversely, when the feed roll is indownmost position, as determined by earn track the surface of the feedroll will be below the supports and hence necessarily out of engagementwith the bottommost blank.

If for some reason clutch 84 is disengaged, the four rolls will continueto operate until the motor driving chain 62 is deenergized. If clutch 84is decoupled while the feed.

position of cam track 94) so that the cam follower isin that part of thecam track that causes the feed roll to be in down position.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. Therefore, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited in its application to thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts specifically describedor illustrated, and that within the scope of the appended claims it maybe practiced otherwise than as specifically described or illustrated.

I claim:

1. A feeder mechanism comprising a frame, a magazine for storing fiatblanks supported on said frame, a feed roll, means for rotatablysupporting said feed roll, means for rotating said feed roll, meanssecured to said frame for pivotally carrying said feed roll supportingmeans, a cam follower carried by said feed roll supporting means, a camshaft having a cam aflixed thereto rotatably carried by said frame, saidcam and said cam follower being in engaging relation, means for rotatingsaid cam shaft, whereby said cam acts through said cam follower and saidfeed roll supporting means to oscillate said feed roll suppor ing meansabout its pivot to repeatedly bring said feed roll into and out ofengaging relation with blanks stored in said magazine, said cammaintaining said feed roll in said engaging relation for an interval oftime suflicient to remove at least one blank from said magazine, andmeans for terminating rotation of said cam at a point whereat said feedroll is out of engaging relation with the blanks stored in saidmagazine.

2. A feeder mechanism of the type defined by claim 1, wherein said meansfor terminating rotation of said cam acts independently of said meansfor rotating said feed roll.

3. A feeder mechanism comprising a frame, a magazine for storing flatblanks supported on said frame, a

feed roll, means for rotatably supporting said feed roll,- means forrotating said feed roll, means secured to said.

frame for pivotally carrying said feed roll supporting means, a camfollower carried by said feed roll supporting means, a cam shaft havinga cam afiixed thereto rotatably carried by said frame, said camand saidcam follower being in engaging relation, means for rotating said camshaft whereby said cam acts through said cam follower" and said feedroll supporting means to oscillate said feed roll supporting means aboutits pivot to repeatedly bring said feed roll into and out of engagingrelation with blanks stored in said magazine, said cam maintaining saidfeed roll in said engaging relation for an interval of time sumcient toremove at least one blank from said magazine, and means for driving saidfeed roll rotating means, said driving means acting upon said feed rollrotating means through a loose sliding connection so as to maintain feedroll rotation while said feed roll is being repeatedly moved into andout of engaging relation with blanks stored in said magazine.

4. A feeder mechanism comprising a frame, a magazine for storing fiatblanks supported on said frame, a feed roll, means for rotatablysupporting said feed roll, means secured to said frame for pivotallycarrying said feed roll supporting means, a cam follower carried by saidfeed roll supporting means, a cam shaft having a cam affixed theretorotatably carried by said frame, said cam and said cam follower being inengaging relation, means for rotating said cam shaft, whereby said camacts through said cam follower and said feed roll supporting means tooscillate said feed roll supporting means about its pivot to repeatedlybring said feed roll into and out of engaging relation with blanksstored in said magazine, said cam maintaining said reed roll in saidengaging relation for an interval of time sufficient to remove at leastone blank from said magazine, a rotating driving element mounted on afixed axis, a rotatable driven element connected to and acting to causerotation of said feed roll,

, the axis of rotation of said driven element movable in accord with themovement of said feed roll supporting means, and means providing aslidable connection between said driving and driven elements to transmitrotational power from one to the other continuously regardless of theshifting position of the axis of said driven element.

5. A feeder mechanism for delivering box blanks to a box-forming machineat a predetermined rate comprising in combination, a magazine forstoring box blanks, two spaced parallel frame members supporting saidmagazine, a first shaft rotatably supported by said frame members, a camwheel carried by said first shaft and rotatable therewith, said camwheel having a cam track in one face thereof, a second shaft surroundingsaid first shaft in concentric rotatable relation thereto, means fordriving said second shaft, a normally engaged clutch. coupling saidshafts together whereby said cam wheel rotates in synchronism with saidsecond shaft, said clutch being disengageable only at a predeterminedpoint in the arc of rotation of said first shaft, a pair of arms, meansrotatably supporting said arms between said frame members, a third shaftrotatably journaled in said arms, a feed roll fixed to said third shaft,said third shaft being positioned beneath said magazine adjacent itsforward edge, a bar secured to said arms extending parallel to saidfirst, second and third shafts, a third arm carried by said barextending toward said first shaft, a cam follower rotatably carried bysaid third arm at its free end, said cam follower riding within said camtrack, said cam track having a high spot and a low spot, said feed rollbeing cammed into engagement with the bottommost blank in said magazinewhen said follower is riding on said high spot and cammed out ofengagement with said bottommost blank when said follower is riding onsaid low spot, said feed roll being repeatedly moved toward and awayfrom said magazine as said cam wheel continues to rotate, a first gear,means driving said first gear from said second shaft, a second geardriven by .said first gear, and means carried by said third shaftslidably coupled to said second gear for driving said third shaft by wayof said second gear.

6. A feeder mechanism as defined by claim 5, wherein said cam wheel isso positioned on said first shaft that said cam follower is inengagement with said low spot when said first shaft is brought to restupon disengage- F ment of said clutch.

7. A feeder mechanism as defined by'claim 5, wherein said second gear isprovided with a rectangular block, said rectangular block beingrotatable relative to said second gear, and said third shaft is providedwith an arm having a rectangular slot therein, said rectangular blockbeing slidably positioned within said slot whereby to provide saidslidable coupling between said third shaft and said second gear.

8. A feeder mechanism comprising a frame, a maga zine for storing flatblanks supported on said frame in an inclined position whereby theleading edges of the box blanks in said magazine are at a higher levelthan their trailing edges, a feed roll located below said magazine withat least a portion of said feed roll being located at all times inadvance of said magazine and the leading edges of the box blanks storedtherein, means for rotatably supporting said feed roll, means secured tosaid frame for pivotally carrying said feed roll supporting means, a camfollower carried by said feed roll supporting means, a cam shaft havinga cam aiiixed thereto rotatably carried by said frame, said cam and saidcam follower being in engaging relation, means for rotating said camshaft, whereby said cam acts through said cam follower and said feedroll supporting means to oscillate said feed roll supporting means aboutits pivot to repeatedly bring said feed roll into and out of engagingrelation with the leading edge of the bottommost blank in said magazine,said cam maintaining said feed roll in said engaging relation for aninterval of time sufficient to remove the bottommost blank from saidmagazine, a rotating driving element mounted on a fixed axis, arotatable driven element connected to and acting to cause rotation ofsaid feed roll, the axis of rotation of said driven element beingmovable in accord with the movement of said feed roll supporting means,means coupling said driving and driven elements to transmit rotationalpower from one to the other continuously regardless of the shiftingposition of the axis of said driven element, means located below saidmagazine at the rear thereof for moving the bottommost blank forward outof said magazine into position to be :picked up by said feed roll, andmeans located above said feed roll in front of said magazine cooperatingwith said feed roll to deliver successive blanks picked up by said feedroll forward out of said feeder mechanism References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,092,437 Ferguson Apr. 7, 19141,441,271 Escobal'es Jan. 9, 1923 1,739,153 Laxo Dec. 10, 1929 2,377,523Ryan June 5, 1945 2,566,822 Cahill Sept. 4, 1951

